Three days of expert witness testimony wrapped up in La Ronge yesterday surrounding the sentencing of the third male responsible for the death of La Ronge restaurant owner, Simon Grant.
The courtroom heard from two Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) representatives, two youth workers, the accused’s psychologist and a provincial coordinator for the Intensive Rehabilitation Custody and Supervision (IRCS) program.
As the offender was 17-years-old at the time of the crime, he cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA).
Last November, the first sentencing date took place for the offender, who was considered to be the ring leader of the trio who attacked Grant. The sentencing was adjourned when Judge Bob Lane learned of new animal abuse allegations that were read in a victim impact statement. Lane then requested updated physiological and psychiatric reports.
This time, Judge Lane heard from the six witnesses in the lengthy direct examinations and cross-examinations to determine if an adult sentence or an IRCS youth sentence is suitable.
The maximum sentence that a young offender could serve under an IRCS ruling is three years, and with two years already in custody, the offender would only have around a year left to serve.
IRCS is a federally funded program through the Department of Justice, where the provincial and federal governments assume joint responsibility for the youth.
The program that was created in 2003 is an option via the YCJA and offers specific therapeutic programs and services for young offenders who have mental health needs. An IRCS candidate must also be convicted of a serious violent offence, including first or second-degree murder, attempted murder, manslaughter or aggravated sexual assault.
One of the many concerns that Grant’s widow, Cora Laich has about the IRCS sentence is her family will not be kept updated on the offender’s whereabouts once the time is served.
“Once the offender is finished, there is no follow-up, there is no contact with the victims that this offender has been released into the community,” said Laich, who owned Louisiana’s Bar-B-Que with Grant. “With the federal program, that works very closely with the parole board and corrections. A victim can ask for information on the offender.”
Two sides of the young man were described in the examinations. One was a hard-working, athletic young man who likes to participate in beading with elders. The second was a hot-headed, manipulative individual who still exhibits gang attitudes.
“The witnesses that have been chosen, they do give two sides of the story,” says Laich, who brings a small urn with her husband’s ashes to all of the proceedings. “The ones that talk about the youth facility, I just feel like there is not enough security and there is not enough time for this young man to rehabilitate and have a tough enough environment.”
She continues that she knows the young man very well, as Grant and Laich took care of him.
Some witnesses talked about his impressive performance in school, his positive mentoring to younger offenders and his athletic ability. When Laich was listening to the witnesses described these qualities, she knew he learned them from her late husband. She says that as a victim, such positive values and qualities describing the youth that killed her husband may be discouraging as the judge will take them into account.
“I felt so many times there would be characteristics that these youth workers would describe about this young man and I would just say, ‘Yeah! That was Simon! It was Simon that moulded that into him.’”
Grant and Laich saw his athletic ability and encouraged it. They took him to driving lessons, fed and clothed him and did it all out-of-pocket.
The couple reached out on many occasions for support from Indian Child and Family Services (ICFS), a program that ensures ‘children and youth live and grow in caring, nurturing and safe environments,’ but time after time was rejected. Laich told MBC that she and her family would be seeking legal action against ICFS.
The final expert witness is slated to testify on May 8 in Saskatoon and sentencing is expected by the end of the month.
Judge Lane often speaks to how he hopes to have a conclusion soon for closure for Grant’s family and so the offender can move on with his sentence.
“I’m so wanting to have this done by the end of the month,” said Lane.
(PHOTO: Cora Laich and Simon Grant. File photo.)